Composite strand



Filed Aug. 2, 1935 Patented Nov. 16, 1937 COMPOSITE STRAND Donald M. Houghton, Newton, Mass., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 2, 1935, serial No. 34,406

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a strand and is herein exemplified with reference to a laminated or composite strand as an 'article of manufacture having such properties as to strength, appearance, and resistance to soiling as favor its use in the production of any articles the value of which is dependent upon these properties.

One field ofusefulness of strand material is found in the manufacture of numerous classes of wearing apparel such as shoes of the type known as sandals, for instance, and certain millinery goods. Many uses, such as those mentioned above by way of example, give rise to a need for strand material, which it is an object of this invention to provide, and which will have substantial tensile strength, a unique and striking appearance and the capacity to retain its appearance or to have such appearance restored by cleaning.

To this end, one illustrative embodiment of the invention comprises a composite strand having a transparent braided covering. The covering may be braided of any transparent material having the requisite strength for the purpose to which the strand is to be put, cellulose in regenerated form and many kinds of material derived from cellulose now being available and satisfactory for this purpose. The transparency of such a covering not only permits even a delicate color or design in the core of the strand to be seen but also contributes a certain amount of brilliancy to the appearance of the strand owing to the variation in the amounts of light reiiected by the covering at different places. Moreover, such transparent materials as may be used` for the purpose in View are also substantially impervious to moisture and hence a covering made from them prevents or retards soiling of the core of the strand by resisting absorption of foreign matter.

As herein illustrated, the transparent covering is in the form of a tubular sheath which completely surrounds the core, the sheath being braided, in accordance with another feature of the invention, of transparent ribbon having considerable width as compared to its thickness. Consequently, the surface of the sheath is generally fiat rather than ridged and hence neither tends to collect foreign matter nor prevents it from being wiped freely from the sheath.

Although the invention is exemplified herein with reference to a strand composed of a plurality of tubular braids in telescoped relation, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends any strand having a transparent braided covering over a core of whatever material or form is most suitable for the use to which the strand is to be put.

The drawing consists of an enlarged view in -perspective of a strand having a covering as provided by this invention, the covering having 5 been moved endwise of the core to expose a part of the latter.

Referring to the illustrative strand represented in the drawing, its core Il) consists of a braid of conventional type which preferably may be made l0 of rayon on account of its lustre and low cost. Of course, the core I0 may be braided of threads composed of other fibrous substances, as may be dictated by the requirements of the intended use of the finished strand. Moreover, if desired, the core instead of being braided may be made by any other appropriate method, as by twisting or weaving, and may consist of one or several threads.

Over the core I 0 of the illustrated strand there 20 is a covering I2 in the form of a tubular sheath, which is braided of transparent ribbons, each ribbon having substantial width compared with its thickness. Regenerated cellulose, in the form available as Cellophane, as Well as many of the cellulose compounds (for example cellulose esters and ethers such as cellulose acetate and ethyl cellulose), may be used as covering material, it being desirable to select one which is moisture repellant, so that the covering I2 will protect the 30 core I0 against soiling. Preferably, the thickness of the ribbons is comparable to that of thin paper and, consequently, as a result of their being braided close to each other about the core I0 the surface of the covering I2 is generally flat 35 and lacks ridges and hollows which might collect foreign matter and prevent its removal from the covering.

The covering I2 for the core I0 not only serves as a protection for the latter, thereby helping to preserve its appearance, but also contributes considerable brilliancy to the appearance of the strand. This effect results from the variation in the amount of light reflected and transmitted by the transparent ribbons -at different points. That is, depending upon the shape into which the strand may be bent and the position of the observer with reference to a source of light and the surface of the strand, the covering at some points may reflect so much light as substantially to obscure the core beneath it While at other points light is transmitted to the core and at such points it is clearly visible. Accordingly, the appearance of the corewhich may be made of any color or design by varying the color andar- Having thus described my invention, ywhat I` claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A strand comprising a plurality of telescoped tubular braids, the outer braid being transparent.

2. A composite strand having a braided core and a braided sheath of transparent ribbon.

DONALD M. HOUGHTON. 

